supper with the Lord

The official name for the Holy Thursday Mass is "Mass of the Lord's Supper". Supper just sounds so common. Couldn't it be the "Mass of the Lord's Abundant Feast" or something that really sounds impressive? But then "supper" sounds so much more approachable and down-to-earth.

I think this is my favorite liturgical celebration of the Three Days that make up the Triduum(Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) marking the transition from Lent to Easter.

My kids weren't interested in attending, and truth be told, I wasn't all that interested in taking them. Just so you don't think I'm a slacker parent, I have taken them. Note the past tense. Three years ago, our first Holy Thursday experience was a mom and kids event. I remember, "mom, it smells like something's burning". Ummmm that would be the incense. "Mom I need to go to the bathroom, BAAAAAD." That was during the washing of the feet. Guess it was the power of suggestion of the water. "Mom, I'm staaaaarving." That was as we waited in line for our turn for adoration. We left.

The next year, I went to Mass alone, but did go home and pick them up to spend about 15 minutes or so at Adoration. That was a better experience.

One of the things that makes this celebration my favorite (quite possibly my favorite in the entire year) is that it is followed by adoration. There were only a handful of people that stayed more than a few minutes, but it is such a wonderful, peaceful time to sit in the Lord's Presence and have a conversation with Him.

The scripture verse that caught my attention was from John's Gospel: "Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later." That pretty much sums up my whole lent in a nutshell. Not only do I not understand, I don't have a clue what the Lord is doing in my life right now. But I don't have to understand. All I have to do is have faith and trust, which is there for the asking with God.